I guess they do look alike??

Well, I was totally in denial that Owen and Audrey really looked alike, but, well, the older she gets the more similar they look! I think she looks more feminine for sure :), and has some different features, but they sure do resemble each other! What do you think?

some days I feel like I've got this mommy thing down, other days not so much..

So yesterday I was going to write a blog about how great things were going. Today I could write a blog about how I still have so much to learn! Amazing how things can change so quickly when raising two kids.

Yesterday I lay Audrey down for her first nap, she's awake and goes to sleep on her own without a peep. She naps for two hours, wakes up happy. She also took a long nap in the afternoon with a catnap in between.

Owen did great with the potty, had not accidents, and even finally pooped on the potty. More on that later. We played outside while Audrey napped and when she woke up. We had a picnic lunch outside in the beautiful weather. It was a great day with my kids.

Today, there was whining, Audrey took cat naps and was fussy, there was more whining. Owen had several potty accidents where he waited to the last second to go potty and so leaked a little, leading to about 5 underwear changes. He did poop on the potty, so I will be thankful for that! Audrey was fussy all day, screamed for 30 minutes when I laid her down to go to bed for the night. Ugh. Tomorrow is a new day. His mercies are new every morning!

As I stated above, Owen is potty training. It has been one week today. Since Owen has always done things in his time all of his life (read:you can't force him before he's ready), I knew it would have to be partially his decision. Dan and I have been encouraging the potty and underwear for a few weeks, and finally when we bought him thomas the train underwear and told him he could get a choo choo train if he wore his underwear and went pee pee on the potty he decided it was worth it! Last Tuesday morning he asked for "Toby", and I told him if he wore his underwear and went pee pee on the potty he could have Toby. He has been in underwear ever since! He had one accident at first, and then after that he went on the potty. He has had a few accidents here and there of course, but to my surprise, has done great! He even went potty at two different playgrounds. I am continually amazed by my son. He's such a great boy. Pooping on the potty, now that took a little more time and lots of patience. Actually, as soon as we promised him another thomas the train character, he stopped going in his underwear and started going on the potty. He is only one more poop away from earning Bertie :). I have to say that I have really been amazed at how easy this transition to potty training has been, I did not expect him to be this ready at age 2. ***I do have to add that Owen is still a stinker, even with potty training. He freaks out and cries if I try to sit him on the potty if he doesn't feel like he "has to go". Frustrating. Especially when we are heading out the door. But knowing how he is, I will let it be for now. If he has an accident it is okay. Really, it's fine.

Now that this post is forever long, I will just say that in the midst of the craziness that is life right now, i love my kids, and am so so so blessed to be home with them.

I can do this

I can do this. I can take care of a 2 year old and an infant. I've got this. No, not always....but when I step back and take a breath, I realize, yes, I can do this. I've put on worship music the last few days while hanging out at home and it has been nice to feel my focus center, and my burden's rest on my Lord.



Things are looking up. After a weekend of tantrums, whining, mean words to mommy, I think the time out's have finally worked. I was giving him a pass for a little while, to an extent, because of all the adjusting and how it must be emotional for him to have to share mommy. It is hard on him I think. The pass has ended though, as the whining got WAY out of control. So he gets one warning, and then if he keeps it up it's timeout, if that doesn't work, it's timeout in his crib. I've also used taking away of his favorite toy of the moment. It seems to be working. This week has gone rather smoothly. I still worry about his little heart, hope he knows that he is still SO loved by me. I hope he knows that Audrey in no way takes his place, or makes my love for him smaller, just my time. hmm. Time spent speaks love to him too, so I try to make an effort to be present with him, even if I'm busy feeding her/rocking her/changing her. It is a balancing act. She needs to know my love too. Yet, mother's have been dealing with this forever, and most of us who have siblings don't feel less loved. I just know I didn't always feel loved, I NEVER want Owen to feel unloved. I want him to always know he holds such a special place in our hearts, no matter what.



There are lessons I'm trying to teach him now. We read books that say things like, "Even when you're bad, love is there too." (except I say "even when you don't listen"). I want to say this to him over and over, so that he knows no matter what he will do or walk through in this life, he will always be loved by Dan and I. He will always be loved by God.

***This post was written in August, but i'm posting it now :)

My first post :)

Well, I didn't want to jump on the blog bandwagon, so I'm not sure how many people I will tell about this blog. I did, however, want a way to get out my thoughts, vent about my crazy day's raising now two(!) kids, and write down stories about my kids that I don't want to forget. So, here I am. We will see how this goes.

I chose the blog title, "This is me, learning to be" because this blog will bring what I am now to it, as I learn to be a good mom, a better friend, a better wife, and a better servant for the Lord. I have so much room to grow in every area of my life it feels.

There have been a lot of changes around here lately, since moving into a bigger house in February, trying to sell our condo, preparing for baby, having said baby, and adjusting all of us to having two kids, one being a newborn, and Dan starting school in the fall. These shall be interesting days. My goal is to not be overwhelmed by all of this, as is easy to do, but to lean on the Lord. I will admit the adjustment to two kids has been more difficult than I thought. Not so much in the doing, but it has been emotionally challenging. Owen has been great, he loves his sister, but he has shown that he also misses having me to himself. He is not good at sharing mommy all the time and I've had several days of him screaming "I want mommy" for over an hour. Break my heart. It's also hard to know how to handle it. Today has been better, I will hold onto that. My heart is full of joy no matter what as I love my family of four, and know this is all worth it and it will get better.

I'm looking forward to the days ahead and sharing this journey with whomever wants to listen.